Donna Wilkins (L) as assistant coach of the Tactix, next to Julie Seymour (C) and Marianne Delaney-Hoshek. Photo: photosport
Former Silver Ferns shooter Donna Wilkins is returning to her roots, having been appointed head coach coach of the Tactix.
Wilkins replaces Marianne Delaney-Hoshek and will guide the Tactix in next year's ANZ Premiership.
"It's pretty exciting and it was too good of an opportunity not to have thrown my name in the hat for the coaching role," former dual international Wilkins said.
"I think the biggest thing is having been involved in that environment for the last three years, in a smaller capacity, I've seen how hard the girls work and how in tune the Tactix are as a franchise. It's always been a pretty positive environment to be in."
Wilkins (nee Loffhagen) grew up in Rangiora and represented Canterbury before heading south in 1997 to pursue her game at the elite level.
She represented the Silver Ferns in 56 tests, including one World Cup and two Commonwealth Games, and also has 95 caps for the Tall Ferns, playing for the national team at the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games.
Donna Wilkins played netball and basketball for NZ. Photo: Dianne Manson
Since switching her sights to coaching, she has been involved with the Tactix for the last three seasons as a specialist coach.
The deep south became her home after marrying Southland farmer Mike Wilkins but with her three children heading to Christchurch for their secondary school years, Wilkins believed now was the perfect time to return to her roots and give back to the region.
"It is really cool to come back. I played my first netball here, trained on those Hagley courts and then represented Canterbury. It is a good feeling - it would be nice to give back as this is where I started and there's a lot of my family there. It will be pretty special.
"My parents are pretty excited to be fair, and I'll have all my kids in Christchurch at school, so it seems to fit nicely."
It will be Wilkins' first coaching assignment in the Premiership, but she got her first taste of coaching an elite team in the former trans-Tasman league when she was assistant to Robyn Broughton.
Since then she has also been called in as a specialist shooting coach for the Silver Ferns in their build-up to the 2019 World Cup and guided the Southland Men's team from the national B grade to A grade, as well as coaching at grassroots level - developing Year seven and eight players in Eastern Southland.
"I haven't had an elite team like the Tactix, but this is a great opportunity for me to get immersed in the environment and learn the role as well," Wilkins said.
"I think I'm ready for it, I've been around those elite players for a few years now and it will be good to test my skills."